Flexible joint



March 23 1926. 1,577,760

E. A. RUSSELFL FLEXIBLE J QINT Origi Filed May 17. 192;

Patented Mar. 23 1926.

EDWARD RUSSELL, or o 1577m- UNITED I STATES 7 OFFICE.

roneo; ILLINoIs; Assrqnonmo vAroR eAn HEATIIIG COMPANY, live, or CHICAGO, rumors, A ooRroRA IoN or new YORK.

FLEXIBLE JOINT.

Application filed May 17,1923, Seria1 No; 639,495. Renewed August 31, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. RUssELL,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements/in Flexible Joints, of which the following'is a specification. j

My invention relates to a flexible pipejoint of the type comprising a socket member and a ball member arranged withinand spaced slightly from the wallof the socket member, and the object of theinvention is to provide an improved gasketor packing ring adapted to beinterposed between-the socket member and the inner end of the ball member for making the joint fluid tight.

The invention is intended particularly for use as a part of a flexible pipe connection between the steam or air pipes of adjacent cars of a railway train. In this service there are constant vibratory movements between the two members of the joint which tend to wear down the gasket, particularly thesurface thereof bearing against the ball. However, the fluid pressure in the joint tends to force the gasket as a wedge, into the space between the ball and socket so that wear is taken up automatically.- -The fluid pressure also tends to expand the inner end of the gasket against the socket wall. v

My present invention seeksto provide a gasket foruse in a joint of this type and in the position mentioned which will accomplish itssealing function more satisfactorily and will be more durable than the gaskets heretofore employedin this conne ction.

A further object of theinvention is to provide a novel means for holdingthe gasket in its sealing contactwith the ball and socket members when the'joint is notun'der fluid pressure.

In a" gasket of place: described thewear on the gasket is upon the surfacein jcOlititfiilfwltll the member of the 'jOiiil -o. lVith in view my invention contemplates] forming the gasket so that both ends willbe alike and:

ch; a apte v fi be en: t11 h ll i s ke em of men. I eeaske 4,

peel i aw t w ample, which is secured provide a relatively thin Lipton efiec ve,

. Th etl 5 when". worn. on one ten'd pay be; reversed.

The end'not in contact with the ball;

preferred embodiments, in the accompanyingzdrawingfwherein Fig; 1 is a longitudinal sectional-view of the joint. j

2 is a crosssectional elevation taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the di rection of the arrows. j t Fig". Bis a fragmentary sectional perspective view of a modified form ot gasketand I modified form of follower for the spring which holds the gasket in place in the absence of fluid pressure in the, joint. j

Fig t is a fragmentary cross sectional view illustrating another improvement of the invention, and, v H .1

Fig. 5 is asimilar view illustrating another vlnodification. I a I Referring first to Figs. land 2, the joint consists oia socket member 10 of tubular configuration and a ball member 11 which projects into the socket member;

manner butpreferably so as to hold the member is formed with a neck portion 12 on which is swiveljed against a shoulder These parts are flex blysarticulated in any suitable 13,- a ring l i provicljedflwith arms 15,,1'5, pivotallyconnected 'by pivot studs 16, 16, to a ring l' which surrounds the outer edge of the socket n ember The ring 17 is pivotedjto thesocket member-by a pair of pivot studs-18, 18, the axis of which is at. right angles t'o the aaisjv fstuds 1116, 16. By this arrang mentone memb r of the joint has limited 1 universal movement with respect to theot er mem er and thelfre iom of movemeat betwe n h sna t 9f he: j t is very m little affected even whenfthe joint is .rnal (fluid pressure packing the joint s inwardly on the bodyl of the and. lies allo g the surface of ,the

may the lip is, 1010111- t, asbestosgiior exj to tl e'g lsket-b dy, for example, when the gasket'j is' molded. isp ra ly m re na d h t Il j the A t-sleet e ve ill) shown in Fig. 3.

I claim;

in Fig. 1 the fabric covers the inner end of the body, as indicated at 21, the outer surface thereof, as indicated at 22, and is looped between these places to form the lip 20. h

In the gasket shown in Fig. 3, the fabric covers the top of the gasket body 23, as indicated at 2st, and forms the lip or the principal part of the lip, but does not cover the outer surface of the body portion 23.

In any case. the lip is relatively flexible and soft but tough in its texture and will consequently be readily pressed against the interior surface of the socket member by the fluid pressure in the joint.

In order to keep the gasket in proper place in theabsence-of fluid pressure, a coiled spring 26 is provided (Figs. '1 and 2) adapted to hear: at one end against a shoulder 27 formed on the socket member and at the other end against an annular follower 28 formed, preferably, with a flange 29 for centering the spring, and a flange 30 which bears against the inner end of-the gasket body. j a I A modification of the follower ring is The outer flange 31 of the ring 82 shown in this figure is formed with a plurality of diagonally arranged spring fingers i which are arranged to bear and be flexed against the lip of the gasket. Obviously the follower ring shown in Figs. '1 and 3 might be used interchangeably with the gaskets shown in these figures.

In Fig. & the upper edge 3% of the gasket is beveled and the follower'36 for spring 26 is formed with an upwardly projecting flange??? bearing againstthe surface 34 of the gasket. The resultant wedging action ofthe spring and follower tends to keep the inner end of-the gasket in sealed relation with the wall of the socket member.

In Fig. 5 the opposite ends of the gasket 38ers alike, each being formed with an inner snrface 39 having the curvature of the ball member 11 of the joint. When one end of the, gasket wears the gasket may bev reversed.

The inner end of the gasket, that. is. the end which is not in contact with thebalhforms a relatively thin lip for effective sealing engagement with the socket member 10 of the joint; In the arrangement shown 'in this figure the fol lower in for the spring 26 has a curved .fiange e1 adapted to fit one ofthe curved .surface s 39. ofthe gasket and hold this end of the gasket againstthe wall of the socket While I hate described my invention in certain preferred. embodiments, it will be understood that I.c0ntemplate any and all structural lllOCllllCillllOllS within .the scope of the annexed claims.

1. Ina flexible jointpthe combination of 1 ball and socket members ancl-agasket ar-' ranged within the space between the inner end of the ball member and the interior surface of the socket member comprising a wedge-shaped body having a curved surface to fit. the ball member, and an inwardly projecting lip of thinner and tou her material than the body and arrangec to bear against the socket member.

2. In a flexible joint, the combination of ball and socket members. and a gasket arranged within the space between the inner end of the ball member and the interior surface of the socket member comprising a wedge-shaped body of rubber composition having a curved surface to fit the ball mem her, and an inwardly projecting lip of impregnated woven fabric thinner than the inner end of the gasket body and arranged. to bear against the socket member. In a flexible joint, the combination of ball and socket members. and a gasket arranged within the space between the inner end of the ball member and the interior surface of the socket member comprising a wedge-shaped body and a woven fabric, covering forthe outer surface of said body which extends beyond the body forming a lip which lies against the interior surface of said socket member.

4. In a flexible joint the combination of ball and socket members and a gasket arranged within the space between the inner end of the ball member and the interior surface of the socket member comprising a wedge-shaped body and a wovcn fabric covering for the outer surface of said body whiche'xtends beyond the body forming a lip which lies against the interim. surface of. said socket member; said lip being impregnated with a rubber composition.

In a flexible oint, the combination of ball and socket members a 'asket arran ed within the space between the inner end of the ball member andthe interior surface of the socket member comprising a wedgeshaped body having a curved surface to fit the ball member, an inwardly projecting lip thinner and of tougher material than .the body and arranged to bear against the socket member a spring, and a follower interpo'sedbetween the spring and the inner end of said gasket body withinthe lip.

6.111111. flexible joint, the combination of ball and socket members, a gasket arranged within the space between the inner end of the ball member and the interior surface of the socket member comprising a wedge shapedlbody hayinga curved surface to {it the ball nemberjan inwardly projecting lip thinner than the end of the body and ar- 1 .i a-ng edto bear against the socket member. a sprin and a follower interposed between the spring and the inner end of said gasket body w thin the lip, Silltl'fOllOWQl being formed with spring fingers -Wl1lCl1 bear ip tending to expand the same against the socket member.

'7. In a flexible joint, the combination of ball and socket members, a gasket arranged within the space between the inner end of the ball member-and the interior surface of the socket member, a spring, and a follower interposed between said spring and gasket which has a resilient part tending to expand the gasket against the socket.

8. In a flexible joint, the combination of ball'and socket mtmbers, a gasket arranged within the space between the inner end of the ball member and the interior surface of the socket member, an annular member bearing against the inner end face of the gasket and formed with aplurality of spring fingers to bear and be flexed against the interior surface of the gasket, and a spring bearing against said annular member.

'9. In a flexible joint, the combination of ball and socket members and a gasket arranged within the space between the inner end of the ball member and the interior surface of the socket member, comprising an annular body having a substantially cylindrical exterior surface to conform to the inner surface of the socket member, and an inner curved surface at one end to fit the ball, the gasket con'lprising a relatively thin lip portion at the other end adapted to be pressed outwardly against the socket member.

10. In a flexible joint, the combination of ball and socket members and a gasket arranged within the space between the inner end of the ball member and the interior surface of the socket member, comprising an against the 1 (thin lip portion annular body having drieal exterior surface to conform'to the inner surface of the socket member, and an inner curved surface at one end to fit the ball, the gasket comprising portion at the other end adapted to be pressed outwardly against the socket member, and a follower having a portion adapted to bear outwardly against the lip.

11. In a flexible joint, the combination of bail and socket members and a gasket arranged within the space between the inner end of the ball member and the interior surface of the socket member, comprising an annular body having a substantially cylindrical exterior surface to conform to the inner surface of the socket member, and an inner curved surface at one end to fit the ball, the gasket comprising a relatively thin lip portion atthe other end adapted to be pressed outwardly against the socket memher, a follower behind the gasket having a portion bearing against the lip, and a. spring confined between the follower and a portion of the socket member.

12. In a flexible joint, the combination of ball and socket members, a gasket arranged within the space between the inner end oi the ball member and the interior surface of the socket member comprising a wedgeshaped body having a curved surface to fit the ball member at one end and a relatively at its other end, a spring, and an annular follower interposed between said spring and gasket formed witha return bent, diagonally disposed flange to bear against the lip of the gasket.

EDYVARD A. RUSSELL.

a substantially cylina relatively thin lip 

